With tribute to:

Martin Spirit

James Paul

Co-written by:

David Carter

Britain's Small Wars

The preservation of British Military History

Launched, Sunday 11th November 2018. Dedicated and paying tribute to veterans who have served in small conflicts since World War Two. This is an unofficial website with no ties to the Ministry of Defence. We would also like to pay a special tribute to Martin Spirit. For more information please read the About BSW page.

Latest updates

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

The Aden Withdrawal November 1967 - Aden - 1964-1967

In 1966 whilst onboard H.M. Submarine Auriga, I spent a most enjoyable stay in Aden stopping there enroute for a long commission based on Singapore. From my diary of that time, I note that we arrived at 1340 on Sunday the 20th February when the weather was 85f... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

The Ever Readies Aden 1965 - Aden - 1964-1967

I became involved in the British Army's operations in Aden as a member of the Territorial Army; I was not a regular soldier. I had originally joined the services as a boy seaman in the Royal Navy, aged 15, in 1951.... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

Tales from Aden 1955 to 1957 - Aden - 1964-1967

I remember when we were in Aden in 66 Rifle Squadron and we used to go up country when the natives got restless. One time we were going up with a convoy of supplies and we came under fire.... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

RASC in Aden and the Radfan - Aden - 1964-1967

I was posted to Aden from Aldershot in Feb 1964 after basic training as a driver in the RASC, at Yeovil, & Aldershot. I was so excited to be going to a place like Aden and not Germany... read more.

Some of the Featured

Medal Ribbon

Within a few days, following the allied initiation of retaliation, we were now getting into the routine of what was happening. The air raid sirens would sound with a deafening and ear piercing tone and it was on with your chemical suits, now a lot quicker then before... read more.

Medal Ribbon

Monks Field was a tented outpost on a flat plain near Wadi Taym on the Yemeni / Aden Protectorate border. Wadi Taym provided one of the main mountain passes through from Yemen into Aden. The plain was almost completely surrounded by mountains, most of them over 1000 ft.... read more.

The Inchon Invasion - Korea - 1950-1957
Medal Ribbon

The Inchon Invasion was first brought up in the early weeks of July 1950 when the UN position at the Pusan perimeter was desperate and looked unlikely to hold.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

In April 1951, the 1st KOSB was sent from Kong Kong to join the UN forces in Korea, arriving at Inchon on 23rd April 1951. The Borderers went into action immediately on reaching the front... read more.

Medal Ribbon

On the 21st of February 1946, mutiny broke out on board the Royal Indian Navy sloop, H.M.I.S. Hindustan. The 2nd Battalion of the Black watch was called from their barracks in Karachi to deal with this mutiny on Manora Island.... read more.

Silent Valley - Aden - 1964-1967
Medal Ribbon

The 1st Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers flew into Aden's Khormaksar airfield in September 1966. The Battalion was arriving in Aden to relieve the East Yorkshire Regiment, whose area of responsibility had been Crater.... read more.

The RAF in Kenya - Kenya - 1952-1960
Medal Ribbon

RAF Handley Page Hastings transported in ground troops, ran leaflet raids, communications and CASEVAC flights. No.1340 flight formed in 3/1953 with Harvards.... read more.

HMS Providence - Palestine - 1945-1948
Medal Ribbon

Some years ago I set up a website in order to tell the story of an incident involving my late father, Commander William E Messinger OBE, RN, who commanded a ship on the Royal Navy's Palestine Patrol shortly after the end of the war.... read more.